In a world where your inbox is a horror movie and your notifications are basically a marching band, we all need a moment to unclench. Luckily, we celebrate “World Meditation Day” on 21 May, or if you follow the United Nations’ General Assembly, on 21 December. Either way, it’s a perfect opportunity to find a bit of calm in the general chaos.
Meditation has been around forever, but you don’t need to be a guru to enjoy it. Modern studies tell us that regular meditation can lower stress, boost focus, and maybe even make you less likely to engage in road rage.
“World Meditation Day” is a global excuse to sit still. It’s not just about the lotus position or humming like a malfunctioning fridge; it’s a chance for your overworked brain to take a mini-vacation, best enjoyed with a bit of classical music.
Max Richter: “On the Nature of Daylight”
Ancient India and Buddha’s Epiphany
Did you know that meditation probably started around 5,000 years ago? It likely began in ancient India, with people sitting cross-legged trying to tune out their noisy neighbours. The earliest record comes from a Hindu text that basically says, “Sit still, breathe, and maybe you’ll figure out the universe.” No pressure there!
Some years later, it spread like wildfire across Asia. Taoist monks in China muttered something about “flow” while balancing on one foot. The Buddha-to-be, Siddhartha Gautama, gave birth to Buddhist meditation, which became a global hit.
Ralph Vaughan Williams: “The Lark Ascending”
Trance Parties and Spinning Harder
Ancient Greek philosophers started staring into the void and called it “contemplation.” Meanwhile, the indigenous cultures in the Americas were using trance-like rituals, probably with much better music than your average yoga studio.
Medieval Christian monks also meditated, but they called it “prayer.” Meanwhile, in the Islamic world, Sufis spun in circles or chanted to get closer to the divine, which is like meditation with a cardio bonus.
Ludovico Einaudi: “Nuvole Bianche”
Science meets Zen
By the 19th century, meditation was the newest trend in the West. Theosophists started dabbling in exotic thoughts, and when the Beatles went to India in the 1960s, transcendental meditation was cooler than bell-bottoms.
Scientists got into the act in the 1970s and determined that meditation could lower blood pressure. And let’s not forget the Dalai Lama, who’s been meditating since he was a child and still giggles at various cosmic jokes.
Arvo Pärt: “Spiegel im Spiegel”
Profound Wisdom and Cultural Hishaps
Meditation is a journey of profound wisdom and cultural mishaps, with humans trying not to lose their minds. And World Meditation Day is basically the Olympic Games of chilling out. For some reason, everyone competes to be the most serene.
Whether you are chanting, deep-breathing, or accidentally daydreaming, this day is a reminder that while the world keeps spinning, we’re all just trying to catch a mental breath. So, grab a cushion, mute your notifications, and let’s get ready to vibe like nobody’s watching. That is, until the neighbour’s leaf blower ruins everything.
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